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Objective: The web‐based application Oncokompas was developed to support cancer patients to self‐manage their symptoms. This qualitative study was conducted to obtain insight in patients' self‐management strategies to cope with cancer and their experiences with Oncokompas as a fully automated behavioural intervention technology. Methods: Data were collected from semi‐structured interviews with 22 participants (10 head and neck cancer survivors and 12 incurably ill patients). Interview questions were about self‐management strategies and experiences with Oncokompas. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants applied several self‐management strategies, among which trying to stay in control and make the best of their situation. They described Oncokompas' added value: being able to monitor symptoms and having access to a personal online library. Main reasons for not using Oncokompas were concentration problems, lack of time or having technical issues. Recommendations were made for further development of Oncokompas, relating to its content, technical and functional aspects. Conclusions: Survivors and incurably ill patients use various self‐management strategies to cope with cancer. The objectives of self‐management interventions as Oncokompas correspond well with these strategies: taking a certain responsibility for your well‐being and being in charge of your life as long as possible by obtaining automated information (24/7) on symptoms and tailored supportive care options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly proposed classification by the European Laryngological Society (ELS) of glottic lesions by narrow-band imaging (NBI) divides their vascular patterns into longitudinal and perpendicular ones. The latter are further subdivided into the wide and narrow patterns. The longitudinal, wide, and narrow patterns are characteristic of benign disease, papilloma, and malignancy, respectively. The aim of the study was to investigate the diagnostic effectiveness of the classification. Forty patients with glottic lesions underwent microlaryngoscopy. The vascular patterns of all vocal cords were defined with NBI. The affected vocal cords were histologically analysed and comprised the arm (A). Unaffected vocal cords were not histologically analysed but followed-up and comprised the arm (B) and were regarded as true negatives if no suspicious changes appeared during the follow-up. The vocal cords from the arm A were categorised into the benign and malignant group according to the histologic result. The ratio of vascular patterns was determined and the groups were statistically compared using the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. Perpendicular changes were observed in 36.6% (9/26) of benign diseases and in 100% (23/23) of cancer conditions ( p < 0.001). Wide perpendicular changes appeared only in papillomas (6/6) while narrow ones mostly in malignancies (23/26) and also in benign conditions (3/26) ( p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were 100, 95, 88, 100 and 96%, respectively. The new ELS classification can be used effectively and safely to differentiate malignant from benign disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]